Say hello to Unfiltered, a fresh, new beauty series where you’ll get an exclusive glimpse into the dressed-down beauty routines of our favorite celebrities. They’ll reveal their guilty-pleasure beauty practices, the five-minute-routine product lineup they can’t live without, the one good-skin tip they’ll be forever thankful for, and so much more. To bring every conversation full circle, we ask each celebrity to send us a selection of self-shot, filter-free photos of their choosing to capture the essence of their Unfiltered beauty philosophy.
Up next, we’re talking to model and activist Imaan Hammam, who’s starring in the campaign for Tory Burch’s newest fragrance collection, Essence of Dreams. As a true fragrance person, Imaan is the perfect ambassador for the new collection. She’s spilling her favorite fragrances from the line as well as her go-to simple beauty routine and what working with global nonprofit She’s the First is like.
If you had to leave the house in five minutes, what are a few staple beauty products you’d apply or bring with you?
I like to keep my beauty products minimal in the morning, whether it’s before a day full of errands or if I’m going to a shoot. I’ll always apply a hydrating moisturizer with SPF along with a good rose-water spray and rose oil. It calms my pores and smells like heaven! Makeup-wise, I usually curl my lashes and add a light layer of mascara, then apply a lip balm because my lips always need to be hydrated. I might also throw on a rose blush.
As someone constantly going from job to job in many different parts of the world, keeping a mini fragrance on me is a must. Being a big rose person, the Sublime Rose travel spray is my go-to for this. A little spritz goes a long way and is the perfect way to touch up your beauty routine without requiring more than a few seconds of effort.
Can you walk me through your skincare routine, both morning and night?
I love having a simple approach to my regime in the morning and at night. Lately for the summertime, I start my routine by cleansing my face and follow with a nice rose oil. Then, I’ll apply a moisturizer with SPF. With the heat right now, I tend to keep my makeup light and will often curl my lashes, and that’s about it. Sometimes, I’ll even put on a red lip. It all depends on the day and occasion.
For my nighttime routine, the first thing I like to do is make sure my setting is peaceful and tranquil by lighting some incense, especially when it’s been a busy day at work. As I mentioned, I don’t typically wear a lot of makeup every day but will start with a nice cleansing oil to remove anything left over from makeup and/or sunscreen throughout the day. After patting my face dry, I’ll move on to my second cleanse with a gel cleanser. Next, I’ll apply a hydrating mist to both my face and hair and follow with some refreshing rose oil, which I’ll massage into the skin on my face and neck. To finish, I lightly apply an eye cream, usually something with vitamin C to help brighten skin and target any dark circles under my eyes.
Tell me about your work with She’s the First.
I first got involved with global nonprofit organization She’s the First in 2019 when I took a learning trip to visit girls in Gambia and realized that I had the power to make a change for the better and utilize my platform for good. Dreaming big is important no matter where in the world you are, which is why this collaboration with Tory Burch on the Essence of Dreams collection means so much to me. As an ambassador for She’s the First—which works to ensure girls everywhere are educated, respected, and heard—I believe every girl should live in a world of endless possibilities.
You’re in Tory Burch’s latest fragrance campaign. Are you a fragrance person?
Fragrance is extremely important to me personally. I think you can tell that scent, in general, helps calm me and define my moods, so perfume has become a huge part of my daily routine and life. It helps set the tone for whatever I’m doing that day.
When you’re doing your hair or makeup or you put [together] a nice look, the final touch is a scent. That’s what gives you that extra boost, that extra confidence. If I’m walking down the street and I know I smell good, it makes me feel good!
I use fragrance daily—in the morning, when I leave to go to work, when I come back from work, and meet up with my friends. I’ll always spray something on. It helps define who I am and how I’m feeling.
Do you have a favorite fragrance from the Essence of Dreams line?
It’s hard to choose when you have five great scents to pick from, but I’d have to say I’m really into Divine Moon. It’s more of a lighter perfume, something I would put on before I go to sleep or when I wake up. It has a blend of honey, so it’s a little bit on the sweeter side. It also has citrus and lady-of-the-night flower notes and is very enchanting. It captures the essence of peace and smells so tranquil to me. Depending on your mood, you could go for sweeter scents, or you could go for something like Cosmic Wood. I also love Mystic Geranium because it has musk. Musk is something, again, that really brings me back home to my Moroccan and Egyptian culture and background.
What does it mean to you to work with Tory Burch?
As a strong female and huge proponent for women’s empowerment, working with Tory Burch is a dream, as this collection and the work she’s done throughout her career is all about inspiring women to be anything they want to be, which really resonates with me. I think she’s the ultimate “girlboss.” [She] is super successful but keeps it real and understands that dreaming big is a huge part of self-growth.
It is truly an honor and so exciting to be partnering with Tory Burch for this new collection. Being part of this campaign alongside Havana Rose and Alexandra Micu also gives me the chance to spark conversation around what a better future for all of us would look like. It’s a conversation starter, a source of motivation for others to take action on their dreams.
You always have the most incredible curls. What is your haircare routine like?
Thank you! My haircare routine has been a really big journey. I would say things transformed in 2017 after a whirlwind year of doing every show I could, sometimes up to five a day, where they were doing so many different looks on my hair. It got to the point where I had to stop and look at how I was taking care of my hair and let it just be and grow naturally. Since this turning point, I get a moisturizing treatment done once a month to keep it super hydrated and make my curls look shiny and nourished. I love incorporating a lot of oils into my beauty routine, too, and always apply them to my hair and scalp. A good shampoo and conditioner are a must as well.
Is there anything about your beauty routine that would surprise people?
For those that might not know, I’m Moroccan and Egyptian. My mom’s Moroccan, and growing up, my mom was always my go-to when it came to what I put on my face. She really knows the ins and outs of natural skincare and what works. From this influence, I grew up using oils and natural products to cleanse. Then, after I moved to New York City when I was 16, I became even more familiar with skincare from having to wear so much makeup at work, so I had to really solidify my regime during this time.
I have one last question, and you can definitely add some context here. What’s your Unfiltered beauty philosophy in seven words or fewer?
Embrace life and others without judgment.
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